Whistleblower doctor slams conditions at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 8 (IANS) Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital (MCH) in 2025 is “no different from what it was in 1986,” says senior urologist and noted whistleblower Dr Haris Chirakkal, as public outrage mounts over the recent death of a cardiac patient allegedly due to delayed treatment.

“I first came here as a medical student in 1986. Even now, patients are asked to lie on the floor -- just as they were then,” he remarked, reacting sharply to the recent death of Venu, a cardiac patient.

“How can a patient be treated lying on the floor?” Dr Haris asked, calling the incident a damning reflection of the system’s decay.

The criticism follows the death of Venu (48), a native of Panmana in Kollam, who was admitted with severe chest pain and allegedly denied an angiogram for five days before he died on Wednesday.

His family has accused the hospital of gross negligence and has petitioned both Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Health Minister Veena George.

In a major twist, newly surfaced medical records have contradicted the hospital’s explanation that treatment was delayed due to abnormal creatinine levels.

The documents show that Venu’s creatinine levels were within normal range, undermining the claim that an angiogram could not be conducted for medical reasons.

Following the controversy, the Health Minister Veena George has ordered a preliminary inquiry and directed the Director of Medical Education to submit a detailed report.

Hospital authorities, however, continue to deny any lapse in care.

The episode has also renewed attention on systemic deficiencies at the Medical College — issues that Dr. Haris has long been vocal about.

In June 2025, he had publicly exposed the shortage of essential surgical equipment, which led to delays in operations and triggered a departmental probe.

He was later issued a show-cause notice, a move widely seen as punitive.

Dr Haris maintains that he had repeatedly raised these issues through official channels, including with the Health Minister, before going public.

“Transparency is vital to restore public trust in this institution,” he said.

The twin developments -- Venu’s death and the surfacing of conflicting medical records -- have deepened scrutiny of the hospital’s functioning.

For the government, which has pledged to modernise public healthcare, this case now stands as a critical test of accountability and credibility.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Veena George -- a former journalist -- is facing sharp criticism, with the Congress-led UDF demanding her resignation, alleging that she has “failed miserably” and continues to claim Kerala remains the best in the country in healthcare.

--IANS

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